Method of and apparatus for trimming top lifts of heels



m. 3, 1935. 'N. H. KNOWLTON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING TOP LIFTS OF HEELS Filed Jan. 18, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1935. N. H. KNOWLTON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING TOP LIFTS OF HEELS Filed Jan. 18, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 VE/V 777R.

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING TOP LIFTS OF HEELS Filed Jan. 18, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Cir Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TRIM- MING TOP LIFTS OF HEELS Norwood H. Knowlton, Rockport, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 18, 1932, Serial No. 587,184

' 16 Claims. (01. 12-88) This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for trimming top lifts of heels. The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a trimming machine the general organization of which is similar to that illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,724,265, granted August 13, 1929, on my application. The trimming cutter shown in that patent is provided with skewed cutting edges that operate without producing a rag or fuzz at the attaching faces of. leather top lifts, but because of the greater cost of such cutters due to the skewed arrangement of the cutting edges cutters having non-skewed cutting edges, as herein illustrated, are more generally used. The invention is herein disclosed, by Way of illustration, with particular regard to problems encountered in trimming, the toplifts of covered heels in the manufacture of which it is desirable to blend the profiles of the top lifts with those of the heel-covers.

When trimming the top lift of a covered heel, it is of primary importance to avoid damaging the cover, and when, as herein illustrated, the trimmed periphery of a top lift is to be flush with a previously applied cover on the body of the heel, one problem is to trim the entire thickness of the top lift Without permitting the trimming cutter toscrape or otherwise mar the heelcover. To insure satisfactory results with a trimming cutter of the type herein illustrated, the Width or thickness of the cutter should be greater than the thickness of the top lift and the trimming out should extend to the plane of the at-.

' plane on the side occupied by the heel-cover. The

difficulty in trimming to but not beyond the plane mentioned is due largely to the fact that, notwithstanding the common practice of grading top lifts, within arbitrary limits of variation, according to their thicknesses, the thicknesses of top lifts having the same grade marking are not exactly uniform, particularly those of leather to lifts.

When a leather top lift is attached to a heel. its flesh side is toward the heel, and because of the contiguous relation between the top lift and the body of the heel, it has heretofore been difficult if not impossible, with a cutter of the type herein illustrated, totrim the flesh side of the top lift without'leaving a rag or fuzz that mars the appearance of the finished product. For this reason, some manufacturers of covered heels use another type of trimming machine in which the cutter rotates about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the tread-face of the top lift and operates with a series of chopping cuts that progress from the attaching face toward the tread-face, since a cutter that operates on that principle leaves little or no rag or fuzz at the attaching face. Nevertheless, a cutter of that type is incapable of beveling the margin of the tread-face and is also incapable of forming a circumferential bead on the periphery of the top lift. On the other hand, a cutter of the type herein illustrated will not only trim the periphery of a top lift but will also bevel the margin of the tread-face and may also, if suitably formed, out a bead on the periphery, since it cuts lengthwise rather than crosswise of the periphery.

In view of the conditions above described, an object of the present invention is to provide improvements in methods of and apparatus for trimming attached top lifts, to the end that their peripheries may be trimmed without forming any rag or fuzz on their attaching faces and without damaging the heels even when trimming the top lifts flush with the heels.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides an improved method of trimming attached top lifts which consists in maintaining the attaching face of an attached top lift flush with one cutting boundary of a trimming cutter that cuts lengthwise of the periphery of the top lift, and bracing the projecting margin of the attaching face of the top-lift stock at the points where the cutter operates. By maintaining the attaching face flush with one cutting boundary of the cutter, the body of the heel or the heel-cover, as the case may be, is safeguarded against damage even when the periphery of the top lift is being trimmed flush therewith. Moreover, by bracing the projecting margin of the attaching face of the top-lift where the cutter is in the stock being severed the production of rag or fuzz on the edge of the top lift is prevented.

To insure these desirable results some definite control of the relation between the trimming cutter and the articles of Work is necessary. To this end, the invention also provides means for establishing and maintaining a flush relation between the attaching face of a top lift and one of the cutting boundaries of the trimming cutter, with provision for quickly and accurately making whatever adjustments may be necessary to counteract differences in the thicknesses of top lifts presented thereto.

In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the illustrated controlling means is designed to utilize each top lift in its turn, to regulate the cooperative relation between the trimming ness of the top lift.

cutter and a tread-rest according to the thick- In accordance with this feature of the invention, and as herein illustrated, two confronting and relatively adjustable gaging members may be provided. One of these may be a margin of the aforesaid tread-rest and the established the controlling means is made ready to insure the safety of the heel or its cover from attack by the cutter. 7

Another feature of the invention comprises a trimming guide that projects slightly beyond the cutter in flush relation to the aforesaid cutting boundary thereof, the illustrated guide having a thin edge adapted to run in the crease between a heel and its top lift. The tread of the top lift is thus maintained against the tread-rest, the attaching face of the top lift is maintained flush with one cutting boundary of the cutter, and the V stock being severed is braced against the cutter to insure clean cutting. Moreover, if the cutter is formed to bevel the tread of the top lift the trimming guide braces the margin of the top lift against lateral deflection by the beveling portion of the cutter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a trimming organization embodying the features hereinafter described;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of the trimming mechanism viewed from the right-hand side;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the tread-rest and means by which it maybe ad-' justed in accordance with the thickness of an attached top lift;

Fig. 4 is a top-plan view including the trimming cutter, the tread-rest and the covered heel,

the top lift of which occupies its preliminary gaging position by which the tread-rest is adjusted;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectionof a portion of a covered heel and a portion of the tread-rest on a larger scale and includes a portion of the trimming cutter in the act of trimming the top lift; and

Fig. 6 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in section, of the structure at the right of broken line VIVI on Fig. 2.

The illustrated machine comprises a head or frame It mounted on the upper end of a supporting column or standard l2 intended to stand on a floor. The frame In is provided'with bearings M for a horizontal cutter-shaft I6 having a pulley IE to which high-speed rotation is communicated by a belt 28. The forward end of the cutter-shaft is provided with well known means for mounting and securing a toothed trimming cutter 22, the cutting edges of which are on its periphery and formed to determine the profile to be imparted to the top lifts. The axis of the cutter lies substantially at right angles to the plane of a tread-rest hereinafter described. The cutter is attached to the shaft by a screw 24 and a trimming guide consisting of a circular disk or plate 26, the latter being arranged in abutting relation to the front faceof the cutter, that is,

in abutting relation to the front ends of the cutting edges thereof.

The illustrated tread-rest comprises a fiat plate 28 arranged to tilt about two horizontal axes, one adjacent to the trimming locality and the other remote from that locality. At the remote axis the tread-rest is connected by horizontal trunnions 32 to a supporting member 34. The latter is connected by trunnions 36 to a vertically adjustable fixture 38, the axis of these trunnions being adjacent to the trimming locality.

As shown in Fig. 1', a screw 40 projecting from the upper portion of the member 34 is provided with a head that laps one edge of the tread-rest 28 to limit the range of free play or individual tilting movement of the tread-rest about the trunnions 32. The tread-rest is normally pressed forwardly against the head of the screw by a compression spring 42 (Fig. 2) enclosed in'a socket 44 carried by the member 34, but, as hereinafter described, the tread-rest may be forced to the rear against the spring by pressure of a workpiece held against it. This feature of construction provides what may be termed a floating tread-rest.

The tread-rest may be adjusted about the axis of the trunnions 36 to determine the pitch or slant of the profile of a top lift'in accordance with that of the heel to which the top lift is attached. For this purpose, the supporting member 34 is provided with anarm 46 in which a curved slot 48 is formed for the reception of a clamping bolt 58 the shank of which has screw connection with the adjustable fixture 38. Moreover, the tread-rest may be adjusted vertically to place its upper edge close to trimming cutters of various diameters. For this purpose, the supporting fixture 38 is connected by a clamping bolt 52 to a block 54, a vertical slot 56 (Fig. 6) in the member 38 providing a sufficient range of adjusting movement which may be conveniently effected by a thumb-screw 58.

The tread-rest is also adjustable horizontally, that is, in directions parallel to the axis of the cutter-shaft l 6. For this purpose, the block 54 is secured by a bolt 59 to the forward end of a horizontal screw-shaft 60 arranged to slide in bearings in the frame 18, the rear end of the screw-shaft being provided with a screw-thread and with a nut 62 for effecting adjusting movement. Turning movement of the screw-shaft 60 about its axis isprevented by a divided fixture 64 secured to the supporting column l2 and provided with confronting flanges 66 (Fig. 6) that embrace opposite vertical surfaces of the block 54.

The fixture 64 is divided by a kerf 68 between the flanges 66 so that the flanges may be caused to clamp the block and thereby secure the member 38 rigidly with respect to the frame of the machine. For this purpose, the fixture 64 is provided with a clamping bolt '10. This fixture also supports the vertical adjusting screw 58.

Referring toFig. 5 which represents portions of a covered heel, a trimming cutter, and the tread-rest on a magnified scale, satisfactory trimming of a top lift 12 requires locating its at taching face 14 in flush relation to the frontface of the cutter 22. It rarely happens, however, that leather top lifts of a selected grade are, in fact, so nearly of uniform thickness as to bring about this flush relation when they are trimmed with the aid of a tread-rest that stands in the same which the attaching face will be guided to the cutter. Nevertheless, to counteract differences in thickness not only in top lifts made of leather but also in those made of other materials, the present invention provides means by which the tread-rest may be quickly and accurately adjusted in accordance with the thickness of each top lift presented for trimming, to the end that the attaching face I I of each top lift seated on the tread-rest will lie in flush relation to the front face of the trimming cutter.

In Fig. 5, the body of a covered heel is indicated at I6 and the cover thereof is indicated at I8. In accordance with common practice, the lower margin of the cover is folded over, prior to attaching the top lift, and laid on the bottom of the heel body I6 as shown in this figure. Subsequently, an oversize top lift is secured against the folded margin of the cover I8 by any suitable or preferred means, for example slugs 8|], driven through the top lift and into the heel body I6. If the top lift is made of leather, the flesh surface thereof will be the attaching face I4. At this stage of manufacture, the margin of the top lift projects beyond the cover 18 as indicated at 82 and must be trimmed nearly, if not quite, flush with the cover to be acceptable to the trade.

To counteract non-uniformity of top lifts with regard to their thickness, the trunnions 32 permit the upper portion of the tread-rest 26 to be adjusted toward and from the plane of the front face of the cutter 22, but the invention also includes means by which such adjustment may be quickly and accurately effected and supplemental means by which it may be rigidly maintained while the individual top lift from which it was derived is being trimmed.

As shown in Fig. 1 the right-hand margin 84 of the tread-rest stands in confronting relation to a stationary abutment or gage represented as a plate 86 behind the lower portion of which a projecting margin 82 of a top lift may be inserted as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 without placing any part of the top lift or its heel in the field or range of the cutter 22. The lower edge of the plate 86 lies in a horizontal plane tangent to the bottom of the cutter, and the rear face of the plate is flush with the vertical plane of the front face of the cutter, although preferably it is beveled to facilitate inserting the top lift by moving the heel from right to left. After the desired cutter has been mounted on the shaft I 6 the plate 86 may be adjusted to the front or to the rear, if necessary, by turning the nut 62 (Fig. 2), but when once the rear face of the plate has been placed flush with the plane of the front face of the cutter it remains a constant from which the tread-rest may be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of each top lift presented thereto. On the other hand, it would be within a broad aspect of the invention to reverse these conditions as by fixing the position of the tread-rest and combining the cutter and the gage 86 in an adjustable unit.

As shown in Fig. 3, the plate 86 is afiixed by a screw 88 to a bracket 9!] rigidly secured to the member 34. The lower edge of the plate 86 is at the same level as the bottom of the cutter 22. The gap between the plate 86 and the thread-rest is normally less than the thickness of the thinnest top lift, but whenever the tread-rest is forced back by a top lift the margin of which is inserted behind the plate 86, the operator permits the tread-rest, under the influence of the spring 42, to

press the top lift against the plate. Thus, the

tread-rest is located at a distance from the plane of the front face of the cutter 22 exactly equal to the thickness of the top lift, as shown in Fig. 3

and Fig. 4. Before removing the top lift from its gaging position, the operator looks or clamps the tread-rest in the position to which it has been adjusted with regard to the thickness of the top lift, and, having secured the tread-rest in this position, he shifts 10 the heel laterally to the trimming cutter and proceeds with the manipulation necessary to trim the top lift flush with the cover of the heel. Further details of the trimming operation are hereinafter described.

To secure and release the tread-rest in operative positions variously distant from the plane of the trimming guide 26, the illustrated machine is provided with clamping means including a treadle 92 (Fig. 1) and a train of connections operated thereby. A horizontal rod 94 connected to the upper portion of the tread-rest by a pivot pin 95 extends to the rear and lies on a block 98 with which a lever III cooperates to clamp it. The lever I88 is connected to the block 98 by a pivot pin I2 and the block is affixed to the supporting member 38 by bolts I88 (Fig. 2). The lever I80 is connected to the treadle 92 by a rod I06 and is normally raised by a tension spring I 08 the lower end or" which is connected to the treadle and the upper end of which is connected to a collar IIJQ adjustably secured to a supporting post II2. This post is affixed to a split ring I I4 designed to surround the lower portion of the floor standard I 2 and to be rigidly clamped thereto. A studl I8 carried by the ring I I 4 serves as a. fulcrum for the treadle 92. The connection between the treadle rod I06 and the clamping lever I00 includes a compression spring I I8 that permits the treadle to be depressed to the floor without subjecting the clamping mechanism to excessive strain. This spring is seated on the upper side of the lever I89 and is held under initial compression by a collar I20 adjustably secured to the rod I66 by a set-screw. When the treadle is 15 raised by the spring I 88 the clamping lever I0!) is likewise raised by a collar I22 adjustably secured to the rod I86 by a set-screw. With this mechanism, the operator has merely to depress the treadle 92 to maintain the tread-rest 28 in the position to which it has been adjusted in accordance with the thickness of a top lift, the rod 94 connected to the tread-rest being initially free to slide forward and back under the clamping lever I 80 while the tread-rest is being adjusted.

Referring to Fig. 5, the margin of the circular disk 26 projects slightly beyond the periphery of. the cutter 22 and is so thin as to enter the seam or crease between a top lift and a folded-in margin of a heel cover F8. The magnitude of projection of the disk is so slight and the projecting portion is so thin that no appreciable effort is required to maintain the edge of the disk in the crease. The outer surface of the disk is preferably beveled to facilitate insertion of the projecting portion, but the rear face of the disk is preferably fiat since it is desirable that this face shall lie in the same plane as the front face of the cutter.

When once the tread-rest has been adjusted in accordance with the thickness of a top lift and secured by means of the clamping lever I00, as hereinbefore described, accurate trimming of the top lift is assured, since the tread-rest stands in a position that will maintain the attaching face of plane of the front face of the cutter.

- materials.

screw is threaded in the bracket 532.

the top lift in flush relation to the front face of the cutter, When a heel is shifted laterally from the gaging element 85 to the trimming cutter, the tread-rest will guide the tread surface of. the top lift so that the projecting edge of the disk 26 will lap the margin of the top lift and engage the attaching face thereof. The cutter 22 trims away the surplus margin of the top lift with cuts that progress lengthwise of the periphery, and the projecting edge of the disk 26 runs inthe crease as shown in Fig. 5, meanwhile bracing the attaching face of the top lift stock being severed by the cutter so that clean trimming of the top lift is assured.

When, as shown in Fig. 5, the cutter is provided with an inclined lip 23 for beveling the tread-face of a top lift, the lip tends to deflect the top lift away from the tread-rest and thereby displace the attaching face of the top lift from the Nevertheless, since the attaching face is braced by the projecting margin of the disk 26 it is maintained against the displacing tendency. Consequently, the tread-face will be beveled rather than deflected by the lip 23. This bracing of the attaching face of the top lift by the disk 26 is particularly advantageous when trimming top lifts made of leather but is not without a corresponding advantage when trimming top lifts made of other In any event, as the heel is turned while in contact with the cutter it is guided not only by its tread surface but also by its attaching face, since the tread-rest and the projecting portion of the disk 26 cooperate with each other to ,maintain the attaching face of the top lift in flush relation to the front face of the cutter.

To regulate the depth of the cut so that the trimmed surfaces of the top lift will be flush or nearly flush with the heel cover 78, the machine is provided with a stationary adjustable trimming gage I39 (Fig. 2) arranged to run on the cover. This gage is arranged in front of and close to the disk 26. It is supported by a bracket I32 to which it is clamped by a bolt I34 and a plate I36, a slot I38 being formed in the gage to provide for vertical adjustment thereof. The upper margin of this gage is provided with a horizontal groove for the re-ceptionof a flange Mi: formed on an adjusting screw M2. This Provision is also made for adjusting the gage I 39 horizontally so that it may be placed close to the disk 26 without quite touching the latter. For this purpose, the rear end of the bracket I32 is 'adjustably connected to the frame I 0 by a clamp ing bolt I44 which extends through a slot M6 in the bracket and is screwed into the frame. Tongue-and-groove formations indicated collectively at I 58 are formed on thebracket and on a the frame respectively to prevent the bracket from turning about the clamping bolt I44.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of controlling the trimming of top lifts which consists in moving a heel and an attached top lift and thereby relatively adjusting a trimming cutter and a tread-rest in a cooperative relation according to the thickness of the top lift, fixing such cooperative relation While it is maintained by the top lift, and trimming the top lift with the cutter and with the aid of the tread-rest while such cooperative relation is fixed.

2. That improvement in methods of trimming top lifts attached to heels, which consist's'in moving a heel and thereby causing the projecting margin of an attached top lift ,to establish a' tablished, and relatively moving the work and the cutter in'such a'manner as to trim the periphery of the top lift flush with the body of the heel while maintaining the tread of the top lift against the tread-rest.

3. That improvement in methods of trimming top lifts attached to heels, which consists in mov ing the attaching face of a projecting margin of an attached top lift into the plane of one cutting boundary of a trimming cutter and thereby causing the top lift to adjust the cutter and a treadrest relatively one to the other in accordance with the thickness of the top lift, bracing said face in said plane, securing the relation of the cutter and the tread-rest thus established while said attaching face is being braced as aforesaid, and maintaining the top lift against the tread-rest by bracing the attaching face of said margin while relatively moving the work and the cutter to trim the periphery of the top lift. V

4. A trimming machine comprising a rotary driven cutter arranged to trim the periphery of a top lift attached to a heel, a gaging member spaced radially from said cutter but maintained rigidly in flush relation to the plane of one end of the cutter, a relatively wide gaging member one portion of which confronts the first said gaging member and another portion of which is cooperatively related to said cutter to serve as a tread-rest while the cutter trims the top lift, one of said gaging members being movable toward and from the other to gage the thickness of the top lift, and means arranged to secure and release the movable gage in various thicknessgaging positions. V

5. A trimming machine comprisinga rotary driven cutter arranged to trim the periphery of atop lift attached to a heel, a fixed abutment spaced radially from said cutter and arranged in flush relation to the plane of one end of the a cutter, a tread-rest one portionof which is cooperatively related to said cutter and another portion of which confronts said abutment, said tread-rest being freely adjustable toward and from said plane to gage the thickness of a projecting margin of a top lift interposed between it and said abutment, and manually operative means arranged, to secure and release the treadrest in various thickness-gaging positions.

6. A trimming machine comprising a rotary driven cutter arranged to trim the periphery of a top lift attached to a heel, a trimming guide arranged against the front face of said cutter and projecting radially beyond the periphery of the cutter to guide the top lift by its attaching face, a yieldable'tread-rest normally impelled toward the plane of said front face, and means contrcllable manually at will to secure and release said tread-rest in positions of adjustment variously distant from said plane according to the thicknesses of top lifts presented for trimming.

'7. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary trimming cutter, a thin-edged shield arranged against the front face of said cutter to engage the attaching face of an attached top lift, a tread-rest adjustable toward and from the plane of said shield, a fixed gage confrontingthe tread-rest at one side of said cutter, said gage being flush with the plane of said shield, and means arranged to secure the tread-rest in various positions of adjustment according to the thicknesses of top lifts inserted between the tread-rest and said gage.

8. A tcp-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary trimming cutter, an adjustable tread-rest normally spring-pressed toward the plane of the front end of said cutter, an abutment confronting the front face of the tread-rest, said abutment being flush with said plane, and means arranged to secure the tread-rest against the tread of an attached top lift of which the attaching face lies against said abutment.

9. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary trimming cutter, an adjustable tread-rest normally spring-pressed toward the plane of the front end of the cutter, frictional means operative manually to secure the tread-rest in positions of adjustment variously distant from said plane, and means arranged to locate the attaching face of an attached top lift flush with said plane.

10. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary unit including a trimming cutter and a circular trimming guide rigidly maintained in abutting and concentric relation, the margin of said guide projecting radially beyond the periphery of the cutter and being so thin as to run in the crease between a covered heel and a top lift attached thereto, a yieldable tread-rest normally impelled toward the plane of said guide, and means controllable manually at will to secure and release said tread-rest in positions of adjustment variously distant from said plane according to the thicknesses of top lifts presented for trimming.

11. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a trimming guide arranged to engage a projecting margin of the attaching face of a top lift attached to a heel, a yieldable tread-rest normally impelled toward the plane of said guide, means controllable manually at will to secure and release said tread-rest in positions of adjustment variously distant from said plane, a power-operated cutter arranged to trim a top lift inserted between said tread-rest and said guide, and means arranged in calipering relation to a portion of said tread-rest radially distant from said cutter to establish the operative position of the tread-rest by a top lift inserted between it and the tread-rest.

12. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary trimming cutter, a trimming guide having a thin margin arranged to function by engagement with the confronting faces of a heel and an attached top lift, an adjustable tread-rest normally spring-pressed toward the plane of said trimming guide, and means arranged to secure said tread-rest in positions of adjustment variously distant from said plane to maintain the attaching faces of top lifts of various thicknesses against said guide.

13. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a trimming cutter, a thread-rest adjustable about one axis to determine the pitch or slant of the profile of a top lift and about another axis to locate the attaching face of the top lift in flush relation to one cutting boundary of said cutter, and means for securing the tread-rest in various positions of adjustment.

14. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a trimming cutter, a tread-rest adjustable about two parallel axes one of which is adjacent to the cutter and the other remotely located, means for securing the tread-rest with respect to angular adjustment about one of said axes, and independent means for securing the tread-rest with respect to angular adjustment about the other one of said axes.

15. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a trimming cutter, a tread-rest, an angularly adjustable support by which said tread-rest is carried, means for securing said support in various positions of angular adjustment to regulate the pitch of the trimmed profile of a top lift, the tread-rest being adjustable relatively to said support according to the thickness of a top lift, and treadle-operated means arranged to secure and release the tread-rest.

16. A top-lift-trimming machine comprising a rotary trimming cutter, an upstanding yieldable tread-rest in a plane approximately at rightangles to the axis of said cutter, a work-gage confronting the tread-rest, the tread-rest being normally impelled toward said work-gage, and treadle-operated means arranged to secure and release the tread-rest in operative positions variously distant from said gage according to the thicknesses of top-lifts inserted between the gage and the tread-rest.

NORWOOD H. KNOWLTON. 

